PosturaPH Coming Soon!

Most people who come across my wee little blog are but passersby. They arrive here because of a specific Philippine related entry but may never come back a second-time around. I know the world won't stop because I did not post the past couple of months. So I didn't feel too awful exiting the blogosphere for a bit. Although, I feel that I do have a handful of loyal readers who might have missed me. 


This entry is dedicated to you. Just wanted to say, HELLO! I'M ALIVE.


In fact, the past couple of months have been the busiest I've ever had. Aside from busting my butt at the day job, I have brand new blog underway. It is all set to launch but I cannot reveal too much, only that I've found an amazing bunch to jump start it with me. 


So, here's a little sneak peak. 

What is a Musamanila doing with a a style stud, a senate girl, and a supermodel? 
FIND OUT THIS FRIDAY! 


A big thank you to Art Alero for our photo and to Ayala Museum for for letting us bloggers strut around their fancy exhibits. 

Filip+Inna in Lake Sebu

The last couple of weeks of 2011 zoomed right past me. Slowly, I will absorb the impact of all that has happened - a lot of which were very sad. My lola passed away. Typhoon Sendong ravaged CDO. My bag was stolen on Christmas day. All of those things didn't really leave much room for Christmas. But that wondrous feeling is inching its way back to me. Late night talks with my mom. Being with friends. A hug. A happy thought. Seeing ideas come to life. There is hope yet. And today, I stumbled upon this wonderful new video from one of the Filipino fashion brands I truly admire. Filip+Inna.

The effort they put into designing the clothes and having them made by the marginalized ethnic groups of Lake Sebu is admirable. But what I love more is that the clothes are amazing. This kind of passion lights me up. I'm happy that they finally have a site up too! So now, you can easily contact and order from them. Check out their website and their latest collection here: Filipinna.com

We aim to revive and preserve hand embroidery and beadwork as a means of income generation, preventing it from becoming another lost art. We work with an amazing group of talented artisans, mostly women who have had traditional weaving techniques passed down through their families for generations. 

From our hands to yours, may the beauty and depth of each garment bring a profound appreciation for what is distinctly Filipino.

A Peak into Co.Lab Manila

Here's an inspiring work-related post to jump start the 4-day work week. Meet Co.Lab Manila, an alternative workplace created to spark collaborative infusion among like-minded individuals. For people who have no choice but to work in Coffee Bean or Starbucks, try this instead. The entrance fee is around P500 (I think) and you get to meet some awesome people- as you can see from the video below.  

Their company descriptor: co.lab serves as a hub to a collaborative community that share the same values of entrepreneurship, creativity, and integrity. This shared workspace is ideal for freelance professionals, home office workers, start-up businesses, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and graduate students.         

Check them out at: 

4/F Optima Building, 221 Salcedo Street. 

Legaspi Village, Makati City 1229, Philippines 

tel: + 632.759.5000 / local 115 fax: + 632.759.3270

Also related, a link on Hong Kong's 5 Best New Design Spaces . Great ideas should be replicated,  experimented on, and perfected.  So yes, we should do this in Manila. ASAP. This should come naturally for the people who came up with the concept of bayanihan. Give me a holler if you're interested in coming up with more interesting alternative offices/coffee shops/galleries. I certainly am. 

Easter Reflections Through the Photos of Veejay Villafranca

Veejay Villafranca's black and white photographs have always been powerfully captivating. He did a series on a Baseco gang that won him the Ian Parry Scholarship. He's the first Filipino to have done so and he did it at the age of 26. Here's a series he's been working on that stemmed from his friendship with the Baseco gang members. Apparently a lot of the hardened men are Black Nazarene devotees. 

He has more photos on his website and on GMA News. But if you're interested to hear him speak about his love for photography, click this to go to a Ted Talk's recording on Estancabigas's blog. 

Fedex Corporate Site to Win a Webby (with your help of course)

Holy week is just a couple of days away so naturally, the work is just pouring in. I have no time to post even if there are so many things marinating in my wee brain. So, I'll just plug a site that was done by my agency for Fedex. It's a very interesting look at our changing world through interactive infographics.

This is how our world would if country size was based on the population living in cities back in 1975.

 Now, it's based on the happiness of the people living in the country. Lookie, we're larger than Australia!

Whattup?!?! Japan is larger than the entire continent of Africa.  

It's a great way to learn a thing or two about our world and yes, it was made right here in the Philippines!

If you have 5 minutes, please please vote for it at the Webby Awards. Click that link. You'll have to register, but if you tick the right box, you'll also get updates on a wealth of cool sites, apps and other online experiences. Oh, and if you want to see more of the FedEx Changing World website and hear my supposedly dulcet voice-over, you can check it out here - http://checkitout.ph/changingworld/

Thankees!

Interview with Mistula -the World's First Doll Band

Charice Pempengco, the little singing wonder of the Philippines, has made major waves internationally. First she wowed the public on Ellen and Oprah and then she had that little cameo on that rodent movie and then she had a hit single, "Pyramid". She's all over the place. Now she's part of the cast of the super popular American series, Glee. (Premiering its 2nd season on Tuesday, September 21.)



But did you know that there's a musical sensation even tinier than Charice that's quietly taking the world by storm. Meet Mistula. Standing less than 2 feet tall, they're the world's first doll band and they have internet hits in U.S. and in the U.K. They have human and doll fans from all over the globe. Personally,  I'm a fan of their undying patriotism (and killer fashion sense). True to their nature as the Philippine's first virtual band, they only sing in Filipino with a crew powered by Philippine creative heavyweights Joey and Rey Tiempo. Here's an interview they did for QTV:



I got to chat with the bandleader and drummer, Lugosi, and he answered some of my pressing questions.


1. Are you guys Filipino? Aren't you all Japanese?

Foreign in mold, Filipinos at heart. Us boys were made in Japan and Manx, in Korea, but it is in the Philippines where we were given life, where we were essentially "born".

Band Members: Lobo, Bella Lugosi, Manx Minuet, and Uno

2. Mistula's songs reflect a deep love for the country? Where is that passion coming from?

We believe you can only be truly passionate about something if you know it dearly. And as Filipinos, being Filipino is what we know best. We aren't going to pretend we understand other cultures because we don't. You won't catch us singing about "oppa" that's for sure.

3. What does Mistula think of our new president? What he said during the SONA? Are you all inspired this 2010?


We think our new president represents one of the most important steps we, as a nation, have taken in recent years. His State of the Nation Address has got to be the first honest assessment of the country's situation that we've heard in a very long time. It's not all roses, that's quite evident. But for once, the sense of "hope" - that general feeling of optimism which was very successfully extinguished by past administrations, can once again be felt. And that leaves us very inspired.

4. Can you talk a bit about Mistula's new single to help the victims of Ondoy?

After the series of devastating typhoons we experienced last year, we found it odd that all relief efforts were focusing on the financial and physical side of things, when we are very much known to be a highly spiritual people. So we did something about it. Our new song is a prayer, "Panalangin sa Panahon ng Bagyo", and it's also a church song. We plan to donate it to the church so the choirs can incorporate it during the mass, hopefully, to inspire strength in times of crisis. The whole project has been one huge labor of love for everyone involved. And the outpouring of support from the wonderful, talented individuals who have breathed life into this project has been very inspiring. For updates on the song, please check our official website, www.mistula.com.

Be a fan and check out their blog. Smoldering pictures combined with well-written stories. Awesome!

Be Part of the Big Shift

Barely a month into writing this blog, preeminent creative forces launch bigshift.ph I just got back from their launch party in Glorietta 5.  The Big Shift just like the name implies is a web collection of pictures, videos, and articles that show a different perspective of the country. Enough of the poverty, terrorism, and traffic! 

My blog and this website share a vision. It's actually quite similar except that they have their own domain name and have the creative backing of Team Manila, Shift School, The One School, Tech Forge IT Solutions, and the Event Architects. And did I mention that they just had a live launch with really cool bands??? I could get really insecure except for the fact that I love the idea. 

The most impressive thing about Big Shift is that it's student initiated and the content will be user generated.  I believe that this is the generation of Filipinos that will ignite that much need shift in thinking. 

In order to get our beloved country off its butt, we'll need everyone to pitch in. So the more content on the web that shows love for the country, the better! Let's all join forces and contribute to the Big Shift! 

I'm using the large font as an experiment because it's come to my attention that people are glossing over my copy and just looking at pictures.

Inspiring Old Photos

 

Old Philippines Profile Pic

I love the look of the woman on this photo. She has such a sultry “Yes, I know. I’m  beautiful and oh so bored.” expression that’s so modern. Compare it to this other photo I found recently from a fashion blog.

Both are fierce and yet the first one was taken around the 1870’s – more than 100 years ago. The first woman is a Sangley Filipina meaning Chinese Filipina but I have a feeling that she had some European blood in her. Look at that nose and those cheekbones. If my theory is correct, then they’re both Eurasians. Filipinos are so ahead of the trend!


The first photo was taken from one my favorite facebook fan pages: Old Photos Philippines. Become a fan and look at the photo historian’s extensive collection! Kudos to him or her for actually finding this photo at the Musee De L'Homme in Paris.